With all of the hot restaurant activity going on from Rogers Park to Hyde Park, it's almost easy to think of Streeterville as just a neighborhood of tourists ( hello, Navy Pier! ) and old moneybut Francesca's on Chestnut ( 200 E. Chestnut St.; MiaFrancesca.com/locations/profile/francescas-on-chestnut-gold-coast ) definitely provides another reason for people to visit the area.
Housed in The Seneca Apartments ( which was once the Hotel Seneca ), Franesca's is the 20th location of Francesca's family of restaurants that includes spots such as Francesca's Bryn Mawr, Lake View's Mia Francesca, Davanti Enoteca ( which I recently reviewed ) and even pastry-focused Glazed & Infused.
And like most of those restaurants, Francesca's on Chestnut continues the tradition of outstanding food and attentive service. ( Also, the prices are pretty reasonable, especially for that neighborhood: $10-$20 per person for lunch and brunch, and $15-$30 per person for dinner, not counting drinks. )
Practically everything I tried at a recent lunch was delicious. The capraccio with avocado seemed like a luxe take on a traditional dish, as did the prosciutto and melon ( glazed with balsamic and olive oil ).
Entrees were even more impressive. My dining companion fell in love with something that might seem distinctly non-Italian: the Davanti burger. Calling it one of the best burgers he's ever had, the sandwich consisted of a perfectly cooked patty along with tomoatoes, crispy white cheddar, arugula, bacon jam ( which sealed it for him ) and roasted garlic aioli.
However, the traditional Italian dishes were just as good, in my opinion. I particularly liked the rigatoni alla paesana, sauteed with Italian sausage, wild mushrooms and peas in a light tomato cream sauceand it was the fact that the sauce wasn't heavy that elevated it.
By the way, there's a basement-level space called Disotto Enoteca ( a great event space ) that has its own subterranean cool vibe, menuand even vistas ( complete with miniature people ) carved into the walls.
Francesca's on Chestnut is a tasty ( and relatively inexpensive ) part of Streeterville. I plan on returning.
Vive la France
July 14 was Bastille Daya celebration in France that marked the storming of the Bastille in 1789 and was a turning point in the French Revolution.
Accordingly, French restaurants in Chicago marked that day as well, and that included Chez Moi ( 2100 N. Halsted St.; ChezMoiChicago.com ), which featured everything from miniature Eiffel towers to an accomplished accordion player.
Of course, there was a special menu. Apertifs included Pastis Champagne cocktails or Veuve Clicquot, and cuisine selections included gazpacho, coq au vin, grilled ribeye with bearnaise, and Bastille parfait, among other items.
Regular offerings range from cassoulet to escargot ( go ontry it! ) to roasted acorn squash with seasonal vegetables and wild mushroom quinoa. I've been here previously, and Chef Dominique Tougne knows what he's doing, to put it mildly.
Note: Restaurant/bar profiles are based on invitations arranged from restaurants and/or firms.